I am an internationally recognized leadership educator and executive coach, and serve as chair of leadership development at N2Growth. I am the author of more than a dozen books, including MOXIE: The Secret to Bold and Gutsy Leadership, Lead With Purpose, Leader's Pocket Guide, Lead Your Boss, and Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders. And I speak throughout North America and Europe. In 2014 Trust Across America named me to its list of Top 100 most trusted business experts, and Inc.com named me as a Top 50 expert in Leadership and Management. I have authored more than 500 leadership columns for a variety of online publications including CBS MoneyWatch, Harvard Business Review and Forbes. My leadership resource website is www.johnbaldoni.com.

Pope Benedict: Leadership Lesson for People in Power

A leader who steps down is one who puts the organization ahead of him or herself.

Such may be the case with the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI who announced he is stepping down at the end of February, the first pope to do so in six hundred years. As one long-time Vatican watch, Mathew Schmalz, noted on NPR’s Morning Edition, he has deep reverence for the religious symbolism of the papacy but not its temporal powers. Cokie Roberts, also speaking on Morning Edition, noted that Benedict, as Cardinal Ratzinger, had served as the de facto power behind the throne during the final years of his predecessor Pope John Paul II. Roberts speculated that he did not want some person having to do the same for him so he stepped down now.

Pope Benedict had huge shoes to follow. John Paul II was charismatic and beloved by the faith. He turned the Church rightward back to its orthodox roots. Benedict for his part simply continued the same path but along the way stumbled badly. He made insulting remarks to Muslims, did little to address the priest sex abuse scandals, and alienated many women, most especially nuns and sisters. Under his watch financial scandals occurred in the Vatican.

Stepping down, however, may prove to be his greatest gift to the Church. Pope Benedict has always put the Church first and views himself as its servant. His resignation demonstrates that he is first and foremost humble and realizes that the Church in times of difficulty needs strong leadership. He is too infirm to lead.

Leaders of every institution should pay heed. For example, what if Joe Paterno at Penn State had retired, as many had wanted him to do so a decade before he did? Perhaps the predatory ways of Jerry Sandusky would have been uncovered earlier; but even if they had not, Paterno would have demonstrated that he put the institution of Penn State and its football program ahead of his own self-aggrandizing desire to remain at the helm.

Scandal is not the only reason leaders should step aside; they need to do so when it is evident that someone else could do a better job. There is an old saying in sports that says the last person to know when to hang up the game is the player. Too often he thinks he can still play, even with diminished skills. Too often ego, and desire for adulation, propels superstars to outweigh their welcome. Michael Jordan’s ill-timed return to the NBA to play for the Washington Wizards is one such example. Gone was Air Jordan; present was flightless Michael.

When questions about the end of a leader’s tenure loom, he or she needs to ask three questions.

Can I still do the job? Health issues, as well as mental fatigue, push leaders to recognize that what they once enjoyed doing, they can no due. Their stamina is not the same.

Who can do the job better? There are many candidates for a top slot but typically only one or two who can do the best job. Identifying that individual and then promoting them is critical to the leader’s legacy. Knowing when to tap the next person is essential.

What is best for the organization? This may be the hardest question of all because it requires the leader to step outside of him or herself and reflect on what is at stake. Too often those inside the organization may not give the leader the straight dope; too many want him or her to stick around because it is better for their own careers. So it falls to the leader to make the call.

The answers may not come easily but they need to be asked, not so much for the leader but for the fate of the organization he or she leaders.

Life does not end with retirement. Second acts await in all kinds of arenas, including community service, volunteerism, philanthropy or even working as head of another business or advisor to several others.

What is important to recognize is that when it is time, it is time and wise leaders always exit stage early, often to acclaim rather than to shame.

Post Your Comment

Post Your Reply

Forbes writers have the ability to call out member comments they find particularly interesting. Called-out comments are highlighted across the Forbes network. You'll be notified if your comment is called out.